Berlin (AFP)
The Club World Cup began with a mishap for Bayern players, stranded for seven hours at Berlin airport before being able to take off for Qatar, where the European champions play their semi-final on Monday.
After Friday's 1-0 Bundesliga victory against Hertha, the team had planned to take off in the evening from the German capital, reaching Doha six and a half hours later by a direct flight.
But the plane's de-icing operations were delayed and air traffic control did not allow it to take off, in order to comply with a flight ban that applies from 00:00 to 7:00.
"We have the impression that the competent authorities have made fun of us. Those in charge have no idea what they have done to our team," said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the boss of the German champion club. , quoted by the daily Bild.
The Bayern players, in high demand for weeks, played in the Bundesliga on Friday, and are due to play in a world semi-final against the Egyptians of Al-Ahly on Monday, or a final or classification match on Thursday before returning to Germany for replay Monday 15th at home in the league against the promoted Bielefeld.
The delegation had yet taken place in the aircraft as planned on Friday evening, for a scheduled take-off at 11:15 p.m.
The Qatar Airlines plane had to be de-iced due to heavy snowfall in the German capital, but was ready to take off at 11:59 p.m., Bild said.
Air traffic control refused take-off, arguing that the deadline had been exceeded by 30 seconds, adds the daily.
The Germans finally took off a few minutes before 7 a.m., but the aircraft had to stop in Munich to change crew.
He finally left at 9:15 am, for a flight of about 6 hours.
© 2021 AFP